Adverbial phrases are used in similar ways to adverbs of manner to convey the same sense. Rather than modifying an adjective by adding -mente, however, an adverbial phrase is formed by the use of a preposition followed by the corresponding noun. Such a use can be an alternative to the standard adverb of manner or because some adjectives do not lend themselves to being modified.

In such phrases, the most common prepositions used are con (with), di (of), a (to), da (from), senza (without), and in.